Potential Implications of Aggravating Resource Scarcity

Foresight

Research for less polluting, abundant and more efficient alternative materials should be encouraged.

Emerging of new ideas, technologies and alternative resources

While scarcity of resources is still a threat, we also have generativity of new ideas, technologies and alternative resources.
The interplay of energy security and markets, technologies and policies has never be more critical. | Related Megatrends: Climate and environment; Geopower; Consumerism; Security
Political tensions and risk of conflict over resources could increase, as food, energy and water consumption patterns change. | Related Megatrends: Geopower; Consumerism; Security

Wastewater natural resources consumption management

Virtual water and other natural resources consumption, as well as pollution impacts should be factored into the price of products (most of all imported products, which should also include social rights and wage discrepancies).

Wastewater management has to encourage the paradigm shift from considering wastewater a problem needing a solution — ‘treatment and disposal’ — to a solution to many problems, including water scarcity and energy by ‘reuse, recycle and resource recovery’, in the context of a circular economy. This calls for supporting regulatory system, financing, and infrastructure, technical and institutional capacity development.
| Related Megatrends: Climate and environment

More on this Megatrend

More regulations addressed to environment and resources

Resources should be at the top of the agenda of multilateral cooperation for meeting the SDGs and addressing anthropogenic climate change. | Related Megatrends: Climate and environment; Geopower; Natural resources
Enforcement of international trade and environmental regulations should increase. | Related Megatrends: Climate and environment; Geopower; Natural resources
More regulations – both directly relating to environmental changes, as well as indirectly, through taxation and similar types of incentives/disincentives – are likely.

More on this Megatrend

The circular economy concept

As resources become increasingly scarce, the circular economy concept will become increasingly important and the momentum behind it to gather pace over the next two decades.

More on this Megatrend

Originally Published	01 Oct 2018
Knowledge service \| Metadata	Foresight \| The Megatrends Hub \| Aggravating resource scarcity
Digital Europa Thesaurus (DET)	circular economy climate change consumer behaviour degradation of the environment energy consumption Food management of natural resources natural resources pollution renewable energy waste management

Emerging of new ideas, technologies and alternative resources

Wastewater natural resources consumption management

More regulations addressed to environment and resources

The circular economy concept

Ocean health in focus as nominations open for UNEP’s 2026 Champions of the Earth Award

Regulating new food sources and production systems: National and regional approaches

Food trade, macronutrient prices, trade tariffs and the price of food imports: Background paper for The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2024

Emerging of new ideas, technologies and alternative resources

Wastewater natural resources consumption management

More regulations addressed to environment and resources

The circular economy concept

More information and links

Related reading

Ocean health in focus as nominations open for UNEP’s 2026 Champions of the Earth Award

Regulating new food sources and production systems: National and regional approaches

Food trade, macronutrient prices, trade tariffs and the price of food imports: Background paper for The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2024